Section 506 IPC- All about criminal intimidation
What is section 506 IPC?
The offence of criminal intimidation is defined under section 503. The Oxford Dictionary defines intimidation as “threatening someone to get them to do what we want.” Criminal intimidation is defined as an offence in Section 503 of the Indian Penal Code when someone threatens another person with harm to their person, reputation, or property, intending to coerce them into performing an act for which they are not legally obligated. A threat-maker is referred to as an intimidator.
Section 506 talks about the punishment for committing the offence of criminal intimidation. The first part of the section includes cases punishable with imprisonment, which may extend to two years or a fine or both. The second part of the section includes a more serious type of criminal intimidation which needs to fulfil certain ingredients, i.e., the threat must include death or grievous hurt, destruction of property by fire, or disrespecting any woman calling her unchaste. Any person who commits such an offence will be punishable with 7 years of simple or rigorous imprisonment or fine or both.
A more severe kind of intimidation is defined by Section 507 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. This section addresses situations in which an anonymous intimidator commits a crime. According to the provisions of this section, anyone who engages in criminal intimidation through anonymous communication or takes steps to hide their name or place of residence may be subject to a sentence of up to two years in jail. In addition to the punishment outlined for the offence under Section 506 of the IPC, 1860, this punishment is also imposed. Two ingredients must be fulfilled: a) threat to the person's body or reputation or possession and b) intention to abstain or do the activities to avoid threats.
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Is Section 506 bailable or not?
The offence under Section 506 is considered non-cognisable, non-compoundable and bailable.
Punishment of criminal intimidation
The punishment under section 506 is categorised into two parts, as discussed above. If a person commits the offence of criminal intimidation, then he will be punishable with 2 years of imprisonment, or fine, or both. And if the person commits a grave form of criminal intimidation where he threatens the victim to cause death or grievous hurt, then he will be punishable with 7 years of simple or rigorous imprisonment or fine or both.
Criminal intimidation by anonymous communication.
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